Sooo... I finally got mine today. Set it up, played few games, tried few features... Since a lot of people today are really stressing Sony's network, there were some issues - such as random messages about "playstation network is inaccessible due to maintenance", problems with the latest system update (I could not download it directly from PS4, had to download it on my PC and put it on FAT32-formatted USB flash drive, which worked perfectly), game downloads being slow, etc. Good thing is once you're done with all downloads - everything seems to be working properly, I could play all the games, both offline and online. Friends list also seems to be working. The PS4 itself seems to run relatively quiet even when playing games like Killzone (which is the most graphically-intensive game for it right now) - you can definitely hear the fan spinning up but it's more quiet than, for example, the XBox360's fans.

Only major issue there is - a problem with HDCP, causing conflicts with some (very small minority) people's TVs and making streaming games very hard (your only choice is to bypass HDCP with certain splitters or use the very poor built-in streaming app), but Sony already promised to resolve this with future patch.

P.S: Also, if you've ordered "bundles" from Amazon - the special codes for DLC's and 1-year PS+ subscription will not be included in the box, they will be sent through e-mail from Amazon. You will also have a special booklet from Sony inside each package with 3 codes for free trial of PS+, free trial for Sony's music service and $10 to spend in Playstation's digital store, so don't instantly throw all paper stuff away when you unbox it!

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PS4 is a gaming console, not a "media center" It can do some streaming from services like Netflix or Amazon Prime (without forcing you to pay for PS+) but can't really stream pirated music and videos (or illegal DVD/BluRay "backups") from PC's Although it can always change - you never know what direction the Sony might choose in this regard... Maybe they'll even team up with Apple/Google and put iTunes/Google Play support in

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B.t.w, this is also why you should probably order a larger HDD together with your PS4 ( this is not my screenshot):http://i.imgur.com/Io4RTSp.jpgThis is after installing every currently available game (paid or free) and after all updates to them. Of course, you can always delete stuff that you do not need.

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I got one of the PS4s with the no video/"blue light" issue. Powered on at first but the video feed stopped working shortly after I entered my WIFI password in initial config. Simple power cycling didn't seem to help so I yanked the power cable for a minute and it came back long enough for me to download the 1.5 update. After the self restart, no more video for the most part but it would occasionally start in recovery mode (with video) to check the disk for consistency and attempt to restart... at which it would go back to pulsing blue light with no video. I did notice one time that it prompted me to insert a recovery USB image and when I moved to do so, I brushed the HDMI cable and it immediatly corrupted the image and powered off. Looks like my issue is HDMI related. I should also mention that even when it was "working" and in the OS, I had no sound - a friend tells me that there should be some sort of background music on the home screen.

There's a Sony retail store a few miles down the freeway from my office so I'll be bringing it there tomorrow and see if they can fix it (doubtful, but its worth a short), exchange it, or just get the RMA process started.

Thanks John, but that post looks like he was referring to one of the pre-launch Taco Bell units that was sent in before Friday. Other posts further down sound like it can take 16-25 business days and with potentially a few thousand units going back in the same manner as mine would be, I'm inclined to believe the longer timeline. I'll try the retail store first - if they can fix it right there and then (again, a long shot) then I'm good to go tomorrow evening. Otherwise, I can stand to wait an extra day compared to the full 16025 day period. My final alternative is to try to find a new one retail and just return the one I have now to Amazon (currently out of stock so no exchanges, refund only) and I can afford it... for now, but I don't really care to be in the hole an extra $400 for a week or two just because I got impatient.

Well, good luck with your unit. B.t.w, did you try checking for stuff like bent pins inside the HDMI connector or make sure that the HDD in your unit is seated properly?

Thanks. I read the Kotaku article at work on Friday before I got my unit so the HDMI port was the first thing I checked... no dice. Would have been nice if it was, though . I also reseated the HDD a couple times and the file system check (apparently) passed but it once it tries to reboot it goes back to blank screen.

B.t.w, I do not have the PS4 camera but in case if you wanna see the PS4's little demo "game" that demonstrates some of the camera's possibilities - here's is a funny demonstration:http://www.twitch.tv/towelliee/c/3260324You need a Flash-enabled browser to watch this replay. Warning: it includes "Golden Shower" scene. But not really obscene (or "NSFW") Just watch it all.

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They exchanged it for a new one. They set aside a few for exchanges that they were able to verify in-store was the blue light issue. Apparently about half of the people that came in could not reproduce when they were present in the store but were promised that if it happened again, they would get an exchange (if they had any left in stock or the usual RMA). By reproduce, I mean they powered it on and played games for 15-20 minutes before saying they can't do anything immediately since they did not observe the failure but acknowledged that it was still possible when the customer returned home since it was a relatively short test period. "Lucky" for me, my unit was pretty much dead so they gave me one immediately. They even powered the replacement unit up and let it update to make sure I was leaving with a functional unit.

They did make it clear, however, that the exchanges were a special thing they were doing for failed launch units and that I shouldn't expect future issues to be such a quick to swap.

That is awesome, enjoy your console! Jus FYI, if your're planning on buying any games - try to buy them in downloadable format, directly from Playstation store (unless there's some kind of crazy deal going, like Amazon's "buy 2, get 1 free games", which is already over). Swapping disks is so 90's and is kind of annoying Also, if you haven't installed many things on it yet - I would get a larger HDD right away. Something like 750GB WD Black should provide a nice bump in storage capacity and speed.

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Still waiting for that killer app for the PS4. Definitely going to get one in the spring because it's been announced - MLB The Show 14.

Does this thing play Vita or PSP games? To me it seems like a good idea to me, though I guess Sony wants people buying $60 PS4 games and not $40 Vita games.

Same here- that, and a comparison of the 'services' that each new console offers. Particularly, if MS were to offer discounted streaming options, say for stuff like Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO, NFL, etc., that might actually make it the console to get. And doesn't the Xbox One also support 4k output?

I got one of the "bad hdmi/flashing blue light" units. After fiddling with it few a bit, I realized I wouldn't feel comfortable using the system even if I got it to work, so I waited on the phone for 2 hours. The Sony rep was very friendly, but I'm pretty sure she was 80 year old grandmother who didn't actually know what a Playstation was.

I got my return box yesterday and mailed out the system today. Here's hoping it doesn't take the estimated 3-5 weeks to get back to me. Also, hopefully my Xbox will be in working order on Friday.

I also got a "blue light" unit, except I'm in Tokyo which made exchanging more difficult. Sony would not replace the console unless it was shipped from a North American address. I couldn't even ship the unit directly to Sony.

Anyway, after I was unable to resolve the problem with Sony, Amazon came through and is sending me a replacement console (in the mail now) though the expected delivery date is two weeks from now.

David wrote:

Here's hoping it doesn't take the estimated 3-5 weeks to get back to me. Also, hopefully my Xbox will be in working order on Friday.

The rep I talked to did say, however, that Sony was replacing broken PS4s with new units and that shipping was overnight both ways. Hopefully yours will be back soon.

I don't think I mentioned it in my previous post but the Sony Store employees mentioned that all but one of the defective units that were brought into the store were bought from Amazon. It was to the point that they straight up asked me "Amazon?" when I mentioned that I had the issue. Also, based on what I saw and overheard, they must have processed a few dozen defective units at the store I was at.

On a 100% different note, when I came home from Gamestop on launch day, I took the whole thing apart, re-pasted the CPU with AS5, then installed a 750GB Black HDD. No problems so far at all! As normal, the APU had enough paste on it to cover 5 regular CPUs. Just messy. Remember Sony, too much can actually cause heat issues.

Amazon's packaging was pretty poor, with lots of free space between the "outer" box and PS4's factory box so perhaps some units got some internal damage during shipment... That said my Amazon's unit works perfectly - we have good UPS delivery drivers and workers at local hub who do not generally hate their job and all the people around them

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My packaging wasn't great either. It was just the PS4 box at the bottom of the shipping box with a bunch of plastic air bags thrown on top. If somebody told me that poor packaging was the cause of my issue, I would have no problem believing them. In fact... I am going to go to Amazon and rate the quality of the packaging right now.